Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam has finally disclosed the identities of the nine members of the senatorial selection committee, after coming under heavy pressure from the public and political parties alike.
He insisted that there was nothing secret about the selection committee, but the list was not disclosed to avoid exposing the committee members to heavy lobbying or interference.
The nine selection committee members included five cabinet ministers and four members of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). From the cabinet there were deputy prime ministers General Prawit Wongsuwan, Dr. Somkid Jatusripitak, Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong, General Chatchai Sarikulya and Dr. Wissanu Krea-ngam. The four NCPO members were General Thanasak Patimaprakorn, Admiral Narong Pipatanasai, Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew and General Anupong Paochinda.
Then National Legislative Assembly president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai was originally on the committee, but he quit after 500 senatorial candidates had been chosen, 50 by each committee member , from representatives of various professions and occupations. The selection committee was reduced to nine members after Pornpetch’s resignation
Dr. Wissanu disclosed that the 9-member selection committee met three times, once at the Pa Roitor Foundation and twice at Government House plus three additional informal meetings at Government House to screen the list of 500 candidates, from which a shortlist of 395 in the first stage and then 194 was derived.
Wissanu said he had to go into details about the selection process because “this was not a secret that should be covered up.”
